A veritable who’s who of Carmel came together for this fun, whimsical, classic summer wedding at Carmel Valley’s Bernardus Lodge. The great Colette Cuccia & her awesome team designed, created & coordinated every detail from start to finish. Colette is a true master designer-coordinator. Her staff is 100% dedicated to making sure all aspects of the day come off without a hitch. Additionally, they’re genuinely happy to help guests with anything and everything. It’s really a pleasure to work with a team that is so dedicated to making sure the day is a huge success. And guess what – it was!

A beautiful moment in a beautiful setting, on a gorgeous summer Carmel day – perfect:)

Cisko of Makeup by Cisko did makeup on the bride, Ginger Green hair for the ladies & Nancy Espinoza makeup on the bridesmaids. All of these guys do beautiful work (as you can see) and are true professionals. Burst & Bloom handled floral arrangements, gorgeous work by a talented crew.

A beautiful Carmel Valley Wedding at the Bernardus Lodge.

The colors of the garden at the Bernardus Lodge blended seamlessly with the pastel palette on the ladies dresses. Really pretty stuff.

Just had to do a silly one. You can’t look this good & not have some fun while doing it:)

After some “before” shots, the ladies went back to their suite to freshen up before the big moment.

The guys were looking good & ready to enjoy the big moment – and the party after:)

Beautiful entrance by the bride. Colette’s staff worked hard to make sure this moment was everything it could be, really neat.

Way to go guys, big congrats.

The Garden at the Bernardus Lodge, a great place for a wedding reception.

A beautiful evening wedding reception in Carmel Valley, complete with the moon.

HammerSky Vineyards is a stunning Paso Robles wedding venue located on the westsides’ gorgeous Vineyard Drive. The centerpiece of the property is a 100-year-old farmhouse that has been tastefully redesigned with no expense spared. A gourmet kitchen, porch swings, a balcony, a large deck, a clawfoot bathtub, a fireplace, along with 4 bedrooms, host vineyard views in every direction. It’s picture perfect.

The property also features a state of the art tasting room & a new barn that’s large enough to accommodate a good sized dance floor, or long table for 40+ guests. There are 2 large lawns shaded by century-old oaks set amongst beautiful Paso Robles vineyards. It’s cute, it’s quaint, it’s New England, it’s Napa, it’s…HammerSky!

Located just a few hours from the Bay Area, HammerSky is an affordable option compared to L.A., O.C. & S.F wedding venues of similar quality. The staff, along with proprietors Kim & Doug, pair 4 star service with some of the best Bordeaux centric wines on the central coast. I had the tough task of sampling the 2010 lineup, the day after the wedding of course, and they are spot on – smooth on the palette, just enough on the nose without being overpowering. By the time you realize you’re sampling a damn fine Bordeaux, they tastefully disappear with an extraordinarily clean finish. That sums up the experience had by all at this stunning westside venue on an incredibly beautiful fall day!

The couple’s cake was tastefully decorated with the names of loved ones written in icing, very cute.

Looking good & ready to go!

The Ceremony site at HammerSky is framed by vineyards in almost every direction. Grand old oaks punctuate the rolling countryside.

The happy couple shared a private moment immediately after the ceremony. Family & Wedding Party photos had been completed prior to guests’ arrival – a great way to go if you want to maximize time with everyone at your wedding.

Cocktails following the ceremony were enjoyed in and around the tasting room. A great way for guests to share the excitement with the happy couple.

Thomas Hill Organics served a top-notch family style meal made with local organic ingredients. A great choice for any would be Bride & Groom looking for the perfect sustainable meal.

It was the perfect end to a perfect day. Each of the vendors listed below played a part in making this day as special as it was. If you’re looking for a picturesque winery to host your wedding or private event, HammerSky is a great place to do so.

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